Integrating MPA Monitoring with Population and Ecosystem Models to Inform Fisheries Management

Networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) are hoped to contribute directly to fisheries by enhancing region-wide larval production and recruitment, and indirectly by identifying ecosystem-wide consequences of fishing.  Long-term monitoring of population and ecosystem attributes are key to parameterizing models of larval replenishment and ecosystem structure and dynamics.  Drawing from the MPA network established by California’s Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative, we describe the approaches we are using to integrate monitoring results with population and ecosystem models to inform the management of coastal fisheries.